Joining the BAHA club!

[moe]

Had my BAHA revision yesterday with some lovely versed sedation. (I love my versed)They put in the new abutment for my new improved BAHA. (oticon brand)
Back in a week and I'll be able to see if I have to wait that three month period, or if I can use it right away (already had the implant in the skull from my original AN surgery).
They did not have to remove any of the hardware in the skull, yay. Hoping I can hear next week, and hoping/praying that it will help muffle the tinnitus.
Maureen

[Kaybo]

OK - that is what I was confused about because I thought you already had a BAHA and it didn't really work for you...so exactly what did they do?? & why?

K   

[leapyrtwins]

Moe -

I'm a little confused here, too.

I thought you already had the rod implanted and just needed to have the abutment screwed on.  But from what I hear that's just an office procedure with a screwdriver, so your mention of versed puzzles me. 

As for the waiting period for calcification that all depends on the "equipment" and your doctor.

Typically most docs make you wait 90 days.  I don't know what the rules are for an Oticon product, but Cochlear just came out with new "equipment" in September which reduces the waiting period from 90 days to about 30 or 45 days.  But not all docs are going with that time frame. 

Jan

[moe]

I know, I'm confusing you~sorry

All they had to do was screw in the new abutment since the titanium implant is already in the skull.
BUT it had to be done in the OR so they (military hospital) could get reimbursed for it.
Gotta go with the system.

So I got my versed just to help me sleep through the minor procedure which really COULD have been done in the clinic.

The funniest thing though was this: 2 days post op I took a gentle shower, and asked daughter to put the bacitracin around the post. It was GONE! Fell out somewhere?
Called the doc and he said come on in. He was between cases, and basically had a new sterile abutment which he screwed in! We were befuddled. He had screwed it in HARD during the procedure.
So I got my wish for just getting it done in clinic!
I'm going to have my husband check daily to make sure it doesn't loosen.

ANYWAY, my husband being the woodworker that he is, can probably find the small screw that is necessary to tighten it up if needed.  I just hope that  the tissue fills in around the abutment quickly. (I asked if it was because there was some open space there from the previous abutment. He said that should not have been an issue.)

I go back in ~ 10 days and will get the processor, and he said I can use it at that point, but I'm not holding my breath!
Cheers,
Maureen

[Kaybo]

thanks for the clarification!
don't tell people you have loose or lost screws, silly girl!  you are opening yourself up there!
K   

[leapyrtwins]

ANYWAY, my husband being the woodworker that he is, can probably find the small screw that is necessary to tighten it up if needed. 

I could be wrong here, but I've seen BAHA abutments that haven't been attached to titanium rods and they didn't have any small screws 

The bottom part of the abutment itself is threaded so that it can be screwed directly onto the rod.  This does require a screwdriver though - if the doc just used his fingers it wouldn't be tight enough.

The tiny screw that was removed from my BAHA site was a screw that was used during my AN surgery (retrosigmoid approach).

Jan

[moe]

Yes, the doctor used his little sterile screwdriver to screw the abutment back into my head into  the titanium implant screw 
The hole was there from the revision.
I know this is all very confusing! I asked the doc, "can we take that screwdriver home?!" He said they only have one. Hubby looked at the screwdriver and said "Oh good another excuse to buy more tools!" He knows exactly the one.
(Remember, he is an occupational medicine MD so he won't do anything stupid. )

So far so good. Screw intact.  I couldn't tell you what the heck happened! Unless the intern was messing around with the screw when they stitched around it......who knows.

The fun continues....
Maureen

[keithk]

I'm confused. I thought the implant and abutment were all one unit.

[Kencutus]

I'm confused. I thought the implant and abutment were all one unit.

Perhaps, this may help, You may have to scroll down a bit.

http://www.baha-users-support.com/implant_procedure.php

[keithk]

Thanks

[moe]

That was a great link!  Sorry about my confusion..

Good luck on your BAHA, Keith.

Since I already have the titanium screw in the the skull from my original brain surgery, I only have to wait a couple of weeks to attach the  new improved processor.
Maureen

[moe]

Post BAHA update.

I've had the device going for a couple of weeks, and I DO love it. I can hear (duh) and it DOES help muffle the tinnitus a tad.
I posted somewhere else:

 The verdict is: NO it doesn't get rid of the tinnitus (the tinnitus will always be there- I knew that), but it does help to muffle it, and with the different "settings", can provide background static. So YES, it appears that it is helping my tinnitus More studies to follow, when I go back to the audiologist.

Maureen